Schools Battle for the Spirit of UNCF Title and Incredible On-Campus Experiences

Dallas, Texas, September 21, 2009

The school year just kicked off but the competition nationwide among historically black college and university (HBCU) campuses is about to get fierce. AT&T* announced today the launch of the “Spirit of UNCF” voting sweepstakes and HBCU rivalries will start heating up. The sweepstakes gives HBCU students, alumni and supporters a new way to show their school spirit by voting online or via text for their favorite HBCU. The battle begins Monday, Sept. 21, 2009 and ends midnight on Friday, Nov. 13, 2009.

“The sweepstakes are more than a contest, the program promotes school spirit and taps into the existing camaraderie among HBCU students and alumni,” said Jennifer L. Jones, vice president Diverse Markets, AT&T Operations Inc. "Our goal is to highlight UNCF's long-standing history as a national advocate for minority education through a fun and relevant program that engages parents, students and the academic community."

The HBCU with the most votes at the end of the competition wins the right to reign as the Spirit of UNCF. At stake are two incredible on-campus experiences: a campus-to-community technology education fair powered by AT&T Technology and an exclusive Hollywood-styled red carpet campus viewing party, complete with a celebrity host from the 2010 UNCF An Evening of Stars® Tribute to Lionel Richie presented by Target. One lucky voter will also win a complete AT&T Technology makeover and VIP trip for two to the live taping of An Evening of Stars® for next year.

Are you battle ready? Cast your vote for your favorite HBCU online at www.att.com/spirit or by texting VOTE to 65579. The Spirit of UNCF interactive Web site is the premier meeting space for you to read about contest details, view and submit alumni success stories and go head-to-head with rival HBCUs. Once there, you can sign up to receive mobile alerts and take advantage of exclusive AT&T offers.

"We are excited about the buzz the Spirit of UNCF sweepstakes will generate for An Evening of Stars® and UNCF," said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., UNCF president and CEO. "But more importantly, we are thankful for the contributions of AT&T and music legends like Lionel Richie, who are helping to make sure that all Americans have the opportunity to get the college degrees that they need and that the country needs them to have."

The winning HBCU will be announced on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009 with the individual sweepstakes winner announcement to follow. The on-campus rewards will occur on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010, to coincide with the national televised airing of AEOS on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and CW affiliates and nationally on BET Networks and WGN.

Any person 18 years or older residing in the continental U.S. is eligible to vote in support of their school and win. Each vote serves as one sweepstakes entry. Voting is limited to two votes per day, per person using any combination of voting methods. For more information please visit www.att.com/spirit .

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About An Evening of Stars®An Evening of Stars® (AEOS), formerly the Lou Rawls Parade of Stars®, first aired in 1979, and since that time has become one of the longest running and most successful televised events in U.S. history. Lou Rawls, a spokesperson for UNCF and champion for AEOS for more than 25 years, is credited with helping raise more than $200 million to help UNCF scholarship recipients and member institutions and their students pay the cost of higher education. In recent years, AEOS has featured a Who’s Who of recognizable talent, including Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Chaka Khan, Ne-Yo, Nancy Wilson, Beyonce, Anita Baker, Jill Scott, Whoopi Goldberg, Fantasia, Joss Stone, Jennifer Hudson, Michael Bolton, Natalie Cole, Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau, Hall and Oates, Ziggy Marley, Maroon 5, and scores of others. An Evening of Stars® received an Image Award for its 2006 tribute to Stevie Wonder and the 2008 tribute to Smokey Robinson. Learn more about AEOS at www.uncf.org/aeos .

About UNCF UNCF—the United Negro College Fund—is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 39 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 18 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."® Learn more at www.UNCF.org .

About AT&T AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(SM) and AT&T | DIRECTV(SM) brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T's Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing and advertising sales. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE(R) magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies.

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